Former Rotherham MP Denis MacShane has launched a scathing attack on Conservative politicians who he claims “dismissed his concerns” about grooming gangs over a decade ago.
In 2014, a report from Professor Alexis Jay found at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited in the town over 15 years.
The scandal has made headline recently, with senior political figures, such as Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, calling for a full national inquiry into grooming gangs in the UK.
However, MacShane expressed frustration at the lack of response when he initially raised concerns about the issue “15 years ago”.
Denis MacShane used to be a Labour MP for Rotherham
GB News
Speaking to GB News he said: “I wrote a book in 2007 you can go through the index and find endless reference to Islamism and its dangerous, pernicious influence in Britain.
“I couldn’t get anybody to take this seriously. Partly it was based on my own constituency, in Rotherham South Yorkshire, where the first big story broke by Andrew Norfolk.”
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He added: “I raised this in the House of Commons. You can check and I asked the then Home Secretary, Theresa May. Why didn’t the police come to the MPs?
“I mean, I was outraged and she just dismissed it and the Tories kept dismissing it.
“Now what’s interesting is suddenly 15 years later, Nigel Farage and Mr. Yousaf have discovered it’s a problem.
“Kemi Badenoch has discovered it’s a problem. Where were they in 2011, 2012, 2013 and so fourth?”
The Conservative Party sent supporters an email urging them to sign a petition backing calls for a national inquiry
PA
The controversy has intensified after Kemi Badenoch was accused of attempting to raise party funds through an email campaign about the scandal.
The Conservative Party sent supporters an email urging them to sign a petition backing calls for a national inquiry, with a donation button included below.
Labour condemned the move, with a spokesperson saying Badenoch had “stooped to a new low, fundraising for the Conservative Party by playing politics with the safety of vulnerable children.”
The party demanded any money raised should be donated to victims of child sexual abuse.
Denis MacShane claimed that he was “dismissed” by Theresa May
GB News
Conservative sources defended the email, stating the donation button is a standard feature in all member communications.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Sir Keir Starmer challenged Badenoch’s recent involvement in the issue.
He pointed out that during her time as children’s minister and women’s equalities minister, she had not raised the issue in Parliament.
“I can’t remember her, I can’t recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry,” Starmer said.